New World, Same Shit

I awoke covered in dust and dirt. My whole body was sore as if I was hit by a charging Deathclaw, again. I rolled over and took my helmet and face mask off, then coughed up the dust that was in my mouth. I then stood on shaky legs to see the carnage around me through unfiltered eyes. A mass grave. Men, women. Children weren't even spared.

I found myself at the bottom of a small pile while nearby there were much, much larger piles. There were probably close to a few hundred corpses, all in piles. Even the smallest of them.

I couldn't believe it at first, yet the dreaded reality of it was right in front of me. All I wanted was to repair the world back to the way it used to be. I united all the tribes and all the major factions. Everyone who wanted it as well as I did, yet...

I stood on shaky legs as I began to move through the piles. Calling out to any that might still be alive. I didn't care if the ones that did this were still around. All I was hoping for was someone, anyone, so I didn't have to wander alone anymore. I already outlived those I cared about years ago. I just didn't want to be alone...

.

"There's another one. Open fire!!!"

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I recognize that mechanical voice, it belonged to those that did this, some old world General or something that was recorded. This all started because they wanted to control everything. They believed being born on their floating pre-war, man-made Islands made them superior to anyone else. Fighting from the back with flying drones and protections by the thousands with thousands more waiting. Only coming out to 'help' those that survived the initial onslaught. Bombs, gas, it didn't matter to them how they got rid of everyone, as long as they won.

I didn't bother trying to move, my legs hurt too much to try and I could feel my back was already damaged. Even if I surrendered, I was just going to be shot. So I didn't even move as I felt the bullets and laser fire bore into my, already damaged, back.

I watched as my life flashed before my eyes. Waking up in Doc Mitchel's house after being shot by Benny. Meeting Cass at the Mohave Outpost, then Boone at Novac, followed by Veronica at the 188. Arcade, Lilly, Raul, ED-E, and Rex. All the good times, the fun times, all the times I nearly got us killed, and all the times we fought. They were the ones that I considered family, my family.

Then all the places I've been. The Sierra Madre Hotel, that God-forsaken valley, the Big Mt, and the Lonesome Road. All the time, walking a road I made, I chose. Even looking back now at all the things I did, I don't regret it one bit. Even all the atrocities I had to commit so I could work toward the future I dreamed of.

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'Though, I wish things could have ended differently.' I thought as my vision faded. 'I just wonder what's in store for me next? Heaven or Hell?'

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x-x-x

The next thing I knew, I was looking through a canopy of green. Vibrant green leaves as far as I could see and the air just felt... purer than anything in the Mojave. Looking down at myself, I was still in my [Elite Riot Gear] I was in when I died and my [Pip-boy] was still on my arm. Once I made sure that I was uninjured, I checked through my [Pip-boy] to see if anything was missing.

I couldn't believe it, almost everything I ever owned or had at one point or another was stored inside my [Pip-boy] and I still had space to spare. I even had the 50-odd bars of gold from the Sierra Madre Vault, all the weapons I had collected and lost during my travels in the Mojave, and even my [Elite Riot Helmet] I took off before those bastards killed me. I even had the prototype weapons from the Big MT that the Sink Tank doctors were working on before and during the war. On top of all that, ammo by the ton to last me a century easily. Along with the blueprints for everything I would need to maintain or build them with any ammo type I would need or want.

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'What's going on? Where am I?' I thought as I opened my [Pip-boy]'s map. 'Japan? Why am I in Japan? And this year... April 10th in XXXX?' My thoughts ran wild as I pulled my [Elite Riot Helmet] out of the [Pip-boy] and wore it.

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The more questions I asked myself, the more I found myself left with. I couldn't understand why I was here nor could I understand what happened to me. But right now, my priority was finding civilization. Then from there, I could slowly find out what was going on. But there was one thing I couldn't help but notice.

The forest felt familiar. Like I once passed these very woods.

No... I spent a week in the woods during a summer training camp, I think? But, why am I remembering this? Am I finally recovering the memories I lost when Benny shot me? If I am, then why am I getting them now of all times? It's been so long though...

Soon enough, after walking for a good hour, I came across a clean and mint-condition road. A surprise really. Looking at my map, there was a building west, just down the road to my right. I'm just glad this thing still works. So with a destination in mind, I got to walking the long road ahead of me. But as I did, more and more of my memories slowly started to appear.

It was nothing major yet. Just some flashes of a woman with green hair, a blond-haired man with a massive stomach scar, and a woman with dirty-blond hair that I could only see as a pomeranian; she did have one hell of a rack on her though. Then a massive battle against someone with a skull-like mask/helmet.

I don't know why, but some felt off about the memories. Like I was missing something important about them.

I just shook my head to clear those thoughts and continued walking. Before I realized it, the night was falling and after checking my [Pip-boy], I was only about half of the way there. I wasn't unused to walking during the night so I just walked until I started to feel tired. Around three a.m. was when I finally saw the entrance to a massive dome structure. Since it was so early, I just hopped off the road and made a small camp. Nothing big, just a small, mico-fusion core powered lantern, a bedroll, and a small meal of iguana bits to tie over my hunger. Even though I ate as I walked here.

-x-x-x-

When morning came, I groaned as I haven't slept so peacefully in years. Even then, however, I still slept with a gun in hand just in case. From the sun, and my [Pip-boy], it was close to eight o'clock in the morning.

Getting up, I stretched to pop my bones and started to get ready for the day. After a quick breakfast of surgerbombs and a Nuka-cola since I was feeling good. Pulling some Purified water, my toothbrush Doc Mitchell gave me, and an old hand mirror; I started to brush my teeth only to nearly shit myself and drop the mirror when I saw my reflection.

I was nearing eighty when I died in the war, with a full head of silver hair and a beard. Yet, here I was looking in my late teens, maybe my early twenties at most with my dark brown, almost black hair that I once had and the start of a scraggly beard. The scars I got from my travels were still present, including that bullet from Benny.

Maybe I shouldn't have let the Legion have Benny. No one deserved that done to them, not even him. Though, he did kind of deserve it. Dick.

I quickly shake my head to clear those stray thoughts and decide to deal with them later as I still had other things to worry about. Like where is all of the radiation fallout? Are there any friendly places nearby where I can find someplace to stay? Do they use caps? Or, what are the biggest factions in the area?

I sighed as I started to finish my morning routine. Once I was done, I hopped back on the road and headed for the dome. Upon arriving, the doors to the dome opened slightly and someone wearing what looked like knight's armor with mufflers in their calves ran out and by me. Not even giving me a glace as they ran by.

Hearing a scream from inside the dome, I rushed in with guns drawn. Inside I found several teens, a woman in a destroyed spacesuit, and a ninja fighting an army of... I think they're mutants?... I could at least see a person made of rock in the moshpit that was down there.

Seeing that the ninja was dealing with the army, for now, I stored away my guns and rushed towards the woman in the spacesuit. Pushing aside the teens, I quickly examine the women. Seeing that parts of her back and spine were shredded, I started to pull medical supplies out of my [Pip-boy]. Things like extremely enriched Saline and [Super-stimpacks] that were for that war and were leftover from it. It didn't take long for me to rip off part of her spacesuit's arm and hook up an IV drip for her. Once that was done, I injected her with a super-stimpack and told the teens to not have her moved until I got back after I forced one to hold the IV bag.

Jumping down the steps towards the ninja fighting the army of mutants, I pulled out a [Cowboy Repeater+] and started blasting. Scoring headshots here and there where it counted. I could feel the ninja glance at me before going back to fighting the mutants. It didn't help that the rare few had their heads pop like rotten tatos when shot. I also didn't question why he only knocked them out, but I didn't care. I could tell he was protecting the kids and that was enough for me to back him up.

As soon as my rifle ran dry, I swapped it out for a [Service Rifle] and kept firing. My instincts flared to life and I dove to the left just as a hulking purple brute with a bird beak and exposed brain appeared where I was once standing. I hit the ground and rolled to a knee and dumped what was left of the mag into the beast, only for the bullets to literally stop and bounce to the ground undamaged.

I felt my eye twitch.

I mentally cursed as I threw myself again to avoid the beast once again as I thought of a way to kill the damned thing. But I didn't get much of a chance to as the beast appeared where I landed and punched me in the stomach which sent me flying into the stairs. I groaned as I felt myself slump down, black spots dotted my vision and the taste of iron filled my mouth.

That was gonna hurt later. At least it wasn't as bad as getting shoulder checked by a Deathclaw, or punted by one. Now that, was a crazy experience. Stupid, but crazy.

Shaking away those errant thoughts, I could see the beast turn away from me to look at the ninja, that alone was the window I needed to get that damn thing back a hundredfold. I pulled out a [Laser Pistol] and a [Plasma Pistol]; I kept the plasma pistol hidden and drew the beast's attention towards me with the [Laser Pistol], scorching parts of its back and shoulders. I waited till the last possible second before I rolled out of the way of the beast's punch as it slammed into the stairs. As it turned to face me, I stuffed the Plasma Pistol's emitter into the beast's eye and pulled the trigger until the cell was drained. I breathed out a sigh of relief as the beast sagged to the ground with a liquified head, or what was left of it.

I turned towards the battlefield and saw the ninja nearly get overrun before he dropped what appeared to be a flash bomb and disengaged the group he was fighting.

I had to give it to the guy, he knew what he was doing.

Stashing away the [Plasma Pistol] in my [Pip-boy] and reloading the laser one, I returned to the fight, disintegrating a few fools' body parts here and there with some well-placed shots. Those that got lucky died quickly while others fell in agony. I ignored their cries as I continued to fire until a hand appeared out of a swirling black mist.

As it did, a flash of something similar appeared in my memory as I leaned to the left and pulled a knife that I always kept hidden from inside my clothes. A quick slash at the hand and I could hear howls of pain as I removed all but the index finger and thumb before it vanished back into the mist. I would have cared more, but a massive man made from rocks rushed me like I stole his jet.

I waited until he got close, as he was far slower than that beast, and when he did, I spun and pulled out a [Rocket Sledgehammer] from my [Pip-boy] and slammed it into where his ribs would be. I heard the audible crack of what I think were the guy's ribs breaking as he was flung away. Seeing as the mutants were thinned out to maybe a dozen, give or take a few, I walked up and stood beside the ninja.

With one hand aiming the [Laser Pistol] and the other holding the [Rocket Sledgehammer] resting on my shoulder made for one hell of an appearance. The few remaining mutants did something smart for once and surrendered, which I will admit surprised me. Though I couldn't help but feel as though a few escaped. Eh, food for thought later.

.

"Any more out there?" I asked the ninja while gesturing with my pistol, but I made sure to keep an eye on them.

"A few of the class was taken and scattered," The man gruffed, "Who are you?" He demanded as he kept an eye on the thugs.

"Courier Six, I usually go by either Courier or Six," I answered him, stashing away my sledgehammer and holstering my [Lazer Pistol]. "It would be easier just to kill them." I pointed out as a few began to fidget.

"I don't kill." The man growled at me, his eyes glowing red as he cast a glare at me. "And neither should you."

"They attacked with the intent to kill. Do you think they deserved any less than the same?" I asked as I rolled my eyes, not that he could see them. "There's a woman up the stairs that I gave medical attention to. She one of yours?"

"Yes, she is." He admitted. "She was injured while trying to get the kids out. There were more, but they got scattered by that mist villain into the other zones."

"Want me to watch them while you go and try to find them?" I offered the man as I checked my [Pip-boy] to see what damage that beast did to me.

"I rather not have them dead when I come back." The man grumbled as he kicked one unconscious that tried to attack us as we talked. "We need answers and we can only get them when they're alive."

"I'll go then," I said, "They'll try something if we leave them by themselves."

"Go, but don't harm the children." The man ordered. "Tell them I sent you."

"Got a name? Or do they know you as 'hobo'?" I asked as I stabbed an [Stimpack] into my shoulder to fix the damage that Beast caused.

"Aizawa or Eraserhead will work," Aizawa told me as I walked off. "Just get them back safely!" He shouted at me.

'Why can I understand Japanese so well?' I thought as I wave to Aizawa. 'Of all the languages I know, Japanese isn't one of them. Hell, the only one that's even remotely close is the Dead Winds' tribal grunts and gibberish with weird weaving hand signs.' I couldn't help but sigh and mumble, "More shit on my already full fucking table. A plate is too damn small for all this shit."

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It took less than a minute to get to the mountain Zone since that was the closest to me. When I got there, a massive bolt of yellow lightning shot into the air. Feeling as if that was where some of the ninja's class was, I rushed there. What I found were two girls, two guys, and a lot of people knocked out. One of the guys had a weird mask and was holding a blond kid by the throat. Not taking any chances, I went for the kill. A laser right through his eye solved the problem easily. The two girls were shaken at his sudden death, but I didn't care. Life sucks and death is common no matter where you go.

After a quick once over to make sure they were relatively unharmed, I all but frogmarched them to the next zone to find more of their classmates after telling them I was here to get them back to Eraserhead. The next zone, for some odd reason, was a massive area on fire. It didn't take long for me to find the students since they were surrounded by knocked-out mutants and thugs. There was another blond kid that looked like a pomeranian and one with red hair. The pomeranian was getting aggressive when he saw me and tied to attack me.

I didn't want to deal with it, so a quick palm to the chin rattled his brain and he dropped like a sack of maze. I picked him up and threw him to the redhead and moved on to the next zone while the three from before filled him in. They followed along soon after as we moved into a frozen-over, destroyed cityscape. If it wasn't for the ice and lack of radiation, I would have believed I was back in the Mojave.

A kid in white clothes and one with red and white hair were knocking out a few thugs frozen up to their necks in ice when they spotted our little group. After a quick question asking them if they were with Eraserhead and getting nods in return, we started to move on to the next zone. It would have been somewhat peaceful if a thug didn't drop out of the sky at us. The kid with the two-tone hair reacted fast, but I was faster. A laser shot right between his eyes killed him before he was even halfway to us. He landed hard on his head which splattered like a Deathclaw egg.

After that little incident, I kept my head on a larger swivel than I had before while activating [VATS] at every corner we came across. Thanks to its threat detection, I was able to pick off some hidden thugs here and there with some well-placed shots or having the two-tone-haired kid freeze an opening here and there where they were hiding.

After about five minutes of wandering the Ruins Zone as it was called, the group and I got back towards the entrance where a group of colorfully dressed people was ordering a security force around. I let the kids go and walked up the steps to see if they moved that woman in the spacesuit yet. I was worried that the [Super Stimpack] wasn't finished healing up the damaged tissue without causing some issues. They could cause cancer if one isn't careful when using them or uses one too many of them.

God, that was annoying when I found out I had that happen to me. Those sessions with the Auto-Doc in the Big Mt were nightmares. I still can't stand being in one of them for any length of time.

Getting up the steps, I spotted a tiny old Granma looking over the woman. She seemed to be looking over what the [Super Stimpack] did to the woman's back. I got a few stares as I kneeled down on the other side of the woman and Granma, the woman was out cold and the Grandma just glance at me.

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"Howdy," I spoke as I pulled my gloves off and ran a hand down the woman's back.

"Did you do this?" She asked pointedly.

"Yep." I said and popped the 'p'. "It was a rush job, but it did save her life," I answered her question as I frowned under my helmet.

"Rush job?" She scoffed. "This is the best work I've seen in over 80 years of my service. I couldn't do better with my quirk even with several sessions."

'Quirk?' I thought as I stored my helmet and facemask inside my [Pip-boy]. "Well then, I can ask whether or not if you're up for an immediate surgery. The downside of using what I did caused a cancerous growth to appear next to her L1 and L2 Lumbar nerves and it's pressing against her spinal column. If we cut it out now, we can save her from the problems it will cause."

"Oh? How can you tell?" She asked, I could tell she was surprised at my medical knowledge.

"There's an odd lump that pressing heavily against that part of the spine," I answered as I pulled out what we would need to fix it. "What I used has a chance to cause cancer if it's used too often or improperly," I explained as I checked the saline bag I had given one of the kids that was now set up and hanging on a stand.

"I can handle it from here, deary." She spoke up and placed a hand on mine after I pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. "I have the proper facilities set up for these kinds of things, so don't worry about her one bit. She's in good hands."

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From the look in her eyes, I could tell she wasn't lying and put away the few things I pulled out. As I stood to go talk with Aizawa, she handed off a few pieces of what I believed to be candy. Shrugging, I unrolled one and popped it into my mouth. It was sweet and had a slight hint of pre-war lemon. And when I got there, he had company

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"So, who are you?" I was interrogated as soon as I approached, can't say I blame them.

"Just a simple mailman," I told him, not entirely a lie but not the truth either. "I usually go by 'Six' if you want a name or Courier."

"Why are you carrying firearms?" Right into another question, this time by a busty ravenette in latex and leather.

"How else are you supposed to protect yourself?" I asked in return. "With a stick?"

"We have heroes to protect you." One said this time was a guy wearing a cowboy hat and full-face rebreather.

"Heroes are myths," I scoffed, "Lies and tall tales. Nothing good comes from being a hero, or villain for that matter. All it does is give you a target on your back and the backs of your loved ones."

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I could tell my remark got under the skin of a few of them. Hell, I was speaking from experience. Lonely, painful, and revenge-filled experience. Nothing is good about being a hero.

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After our little talk, I was escorted towards a working bus that was in pristine condition and driven towards a clean and pristine pre-war city. As I gazed out the clean and polished window of the bus, I came to a conclusion. I wasn't in my world anymore. The billboards we passed, the state of the city, the people, and the vehicles. Everything was far too clean and new to be anything like I knew.

It didn't take long for us to stop at what I could only describe as a miniature skyscraper of a building with massive ten-foot-tall walls surrounding it. The gate slid open before we even made a complete stop and we drove right on in through with no bumps.

Once the bus stopped, I was all but frog-marched towards the building with little to no words spoken. When we stopped, I was asked to wait inside a room while they went and discussed something. The room was well furnished with two soft couches and a small coffee table in between them.

Not caring about decor, I sat down and kicked up my feet onto the coffee table. The wait took several minutes before a small white animal wearing a suit walked in with Aizawa. Not the weirdest thing I've seen before. That goes to a Deathclaw in a suit that could speak fluent English and Spanish.

Best conversationalist I have ever met. Shame he tried to eat me, I liked the guy.

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"Chimera?" I couldn't help but ask with a pointed stare at the small animal.

"At least someone had a good guess." I hear Aizawa mutter as he and the small animal took a seat opposite of me.

"Unfortunately, even I don't know what I am!" The animal spoke in clear Japanese, again, not the weirdest conversation I've had. "As for who am I, I am Nezu. The principal here at UA Academy."

"Courier Six," I replied to his unanswered question, though he probably already knew.

"I'll get straight to the point," Thew animal spoke after introduction, "Who are you and where are you from?"

"I don't know my real name." I started off with the truth since I could tell the animal in front of me had quite a lot of power. "I go by Courier Six since that's all I could piece together about my past. As for where I'm from, you wouldn't believe me."

"We've seen people from all walks of life," Aizawa said sleepily, "Nothing you say can surprise us."

"I am not from this world."